Saturday, February 16, 2019

L-L-L-Little Reviews: Five Adult Contemporary Romance Audiobooks

Ah!  I feel like I'm getting behind on reviews, while still staying ahead on reading books for scheduled reviews.  Possibly because most of the audiobooks I listen to are for myself, and not for any tours.  So they get put on the backburner until I have time to post their reviews. But today I'm going to get 5 of them out of the way.   Now, three of them are from a series that I had to listen to all in a row because of how the first two ended on cliffhangers that I had to know what would happen next!


Repeat by Kylie Scott:
Release Date: January 7th, 2019
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars


If you've followed me for awhile, you know that Kylie Scott is one of my favorite authors.  That she wrote one of my top 3 book boyfriends of all-time, Mal Ericson, from Play.  While I've loved everything I've read from her so far, her last book wasn't one that appealed to me, as I don't really care for the older man trope.  I've not read a lot of amnesia stories either, but I knew that I wanted to give this one a try.  And once again, I was hooked right away.  I mean I had just started the audio and I already was at the point where I didn't want to get out of the car and go in to a family get together because it was so good!  The story kept me wondering what exactly could be behind all the things that were happening to Clementine.  I also wondered what in the world happened to cause her and Ed to break up, and we were kind of kept wondering about that for a while.  In a good way, the way that would keep us listening and needing to go on to find out more.  I had so many theories that kept me hoping the author wouldn't do what it seemed would happen.  It was so addicting that I went home on my fourth day of listening in the car, and after work, I sat in my living room and listened to the last quarter of the book because I had to know. That is a good book to me!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
From Audie Award winning, New York Times best-selling author Kylie Scott comes an irresistible new romance - available in audio first!

When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she's forced to start over. Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did - which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before. 

Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him. The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can't seem to let her go again. 

Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance? 



Mount Trilogy #1-3 by Meghan March:
Title:  Ruthless King
Release Date: October 17th, 2017
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars

  
I have loved all that I've read or listened to by Meghan March so far.  I love her Beneath series.  I didn't think I would get into this, it is a lot darker, the title refers to a bad guy, Lachlan Mount.  We did meet him in the last book in the Beneath series.  He's the guy who everyone has to go through in New Orleans, the drug cartels go through him, he owns or pays off some of the police.  His reputation is not a man you'd ever think you'd want.  Or not the type of guy I'd want, I don't really like the bad guys usually.  I should have known though, after what the author did with the one really bad guy in the Beneath series, Rix, that she could find a way to make me like this bad guy.  But don't mistake Mount for Rix.  Mount is a really bad guy.  

This first one was really mostly about the sex part to me.  I had a lot of questions about some things, and how they would really work. I also was definitely unsure about liking one of the things he made her do.  I mean, there's a reason they say things like people walking around like they "have a stick up their ...".  We got some time with the characters from the Beneath series twice in this book.  I liked that, but wished for more.  There was a cliffhanger at the end, as I mentioned, and so I had to immediately get ahold of the second book. But I chose to get it from the library where unfortunately, I was put on hold.  However, it was a surprise when later that same night, it was available!  So really I didn't have to wait any longer than I normally would wait anyway to start a new audiobook.  My one complaint is how we didn't get the every other chapter between the two characters in this one. So much more from Keira's side. But I get the reason for it.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.



Title:  Defiant Queen
Release Date: November 14th, 2017
Source:  Digital download borrowed from local library
My rating:  5 stars

  
We got to start this book off with a chapter from Mount.   It was nice getting more from Mount's side in this book.  This book gave me a better look at who Mount was.  What his business was, and how he dealt with people.  It still kept Mount as a bad guy though, his actions and such still didn't make me feel any more like he was a better guy than we'd thought.   I did enjoy the part where Lucas Titan from the Beneath series showed up, and had some good advice for Mount on how to get the woman.  And I loved hearing about Titan and what he was doing for his woman, Yve.  Titan was someone it was hard to like at first.  Though he really wasn't a bad guy like Mount is.  

Got more sexy times in this one too, although I'm still going to have to go with a hard pass on anything to do with a ball gag.  Just no.  Then they had a trip to Ireland, which I loved that!  This one had another cliffhanger, a major one again.  So I was glad to be able to immediately check out the third and final book to listen to from the library.  I'd say this one was a bit longer than the first book, and the third was like double the length of this one.  

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The Mount Trilogy continues with Defiant Queen...

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.
I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?
They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.
But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.
I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.
I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.
But he has other plans . . .

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira's story concludes in Sinful Empire.
 



Title:  Sinful Empire
Release Date: December 19th, 2017
Source:  Digital download borrowed from local library
My rating:  5 stars


So this one started up not exactly right where the last one left off, which would normally be frustrating seeing as how the last one ended on a cliffhanger.  However it wasn't, because we got some of Mount's background.  And that I loved!  I was able to learn more about him, and even though he was still a pretty scary guy, I was able to start to fall in love with him.  This book we see how the two really are starting to fall in love.  But there is so much else going on in this one.  We learn some things about how in the world Mount found out about Keira waiting that first night.  And all I could think was I needed more from the person who did lead him to her.  I kept needing to know more, and the author kept putting that off. Then something really  major happens, and finally Keira's family comes around. But all I can think as she keeps waiting and waiting for Mount is that he's decided to separate himself from her to keep her safe.  I'm so glad that isn't the case.  

This book has the fun of Keira kind of coming into her own and starting to order around Mount's employees.  Including V, I do love V.  By getting the background story of Mount, he might be a man I can fall in love with. A bad guy, but with that avenging angel edge.  What happens towards the end isn't what I expected, love that the author could still surprise me even as I knew something was coming. This one was much longer than the first two.  I will say that I've decided I'll read anything by this author now.  I will not let the tropes that normally turn me away, like mafia romance or dark romance, turn me away, at least not if it is written by Meghan March.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The Mount Trilogy concludes with Sinful Empire!

What’s mine, I keep, and that includes Keira Kilgore.
It’s no longer enough to have her in my debt. No longer enough to own her body.
I want something more.
She can try to resist, but I’ll never give her up.
Nothing will keep us apart.
Not her. Not my enemies. No one.
Her debt will only be paid one way—with her heart.

Sinful Empire is the third and final book in the Mount Trilogy.



Lucky Suit by Lauren Blakely:
Release Date: January 31st, 2019
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars

 
This was a short, sweet, and funny story.  I guess it kind of goes with some other books by this author, and I'll have to listen to them as well. But I loved our characters in this one, Kristen and Cameron.  I kind of agreed with Kristen's thoughts on dating in real life. However I don't see that online dating is much better.  At least I haven't had any guys actually spend much time talking online, so haven't had a good experience with that.  And then there's Cameron.  He's hilarious!  Not to mention Kristen's grandma, Jeannie, LOVED her!  The pranks in this story were so good.  It's almost like one prank after another.  And one of them I didn't quite get until we were in the middle of a date and Kristen was starting to figure it out. Although I was with Cameron, figured it out a little quicker.  Had an HEA, and maybe I would have liked a little more sexy times instead of the fade to black we kind of got, but it was a good one anyway.  And I know I have more to read with the related stories.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Kristen Leonard is done with setups. She’s not interested in your son or your nephew or your butcher or the guy who mows your lawn, thank you very much, grandma! After all, she’s a modern woman—she’ll take her chances on the algorithms of online dating to find her ideal man. Before long, she meets a man who might just be the one—he’s hilarious, quick-witted, and full of heart. And when she meets up with Cameron in real life, he certainly looks exactly like his profile picture…but something’s not quite right.

There’s really no telling what brought them together and all bets are off as to whether or not they can trust their hearts over their heads. After all, can you fall in love with someone you’re not sure you really even know?